Dust mop



Jan. 2, 1940. J. A. UYNDERHILL DUST MOP Filed April 27, 1938 INVENTOR JAUNDERH/LL 7 A TTORNEV Patented Jan. 2, 1940 "UNITED sTA'rss PATENT oFFicE;

2,185,873 I nus'r MOP Joseph A. Underhill, New York, N. Y.

Application April 27, 1938, Serial N0. 204,659 3 Claims. (01. -447) This invention relates to an improved and simplified mop for dusting floors, walls, and the like and, more particularly, to a dust mop which employs a -U--shaped frame covered with rubber 5 to prevent the frame from scratching floors, walls, articles of furniture, radiators, and the like. I

It is well recognised that the ordinary mop must be operated carefully to avoid scratching 30 from occasionallycausing scratches due to the fact that the ordinary mop has metal attachments, screws, bolts, wire, and. the like. This method of operation is objectionable as it is somewhat slow. Also, as ordinary mops are generally bulky, they cannot be used effectively under low-set articles of furniture and, conse: quently, either such places must be neglected or else such furniture must be moved.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a mop having a U-shaped frame, made of tempered wire, with a jacket of rubber. It is also an objectof this invention to provide a U-shaped mop frame with resilient covering .andjoiningmeans fordetachably joining one end of a mop handle to the mop frame whereby the frame may be flexed about the end of the handle for permitting universal movement of the arms of the U-shaped frame in any direction whatsoever.

A further object of the invention is to provide the mop frame with a detachable pair of cloth jackets each having secured thereto a plurality of rows of yarn threads.

These objects are obtained by bending a temzpered spring wire into approximately the shape of a U. This wire is then placed in a tubular mold where it is supported on a plurality of pins and is thereby locked in the center of the moldwith the rubber and then vulcanized. Be- .cause the wire is locked in position by the pins, the wire is prevented from floating while the rubber is being vulcanized into a soft, durable jacket comprising a resilient one-piece unit having two arms for forming an open ended U and an integral intermediate portion for connecting the arms. This prevents the wire from breaking out of its rubber jacket and causes the wire to adhere to the rubber except at the point where the rubber flexes. Molded integrally at the midpoint of the integral intermediate member is a hollow handle receiving member having .an annular groove therein for engagement with an annular collar cut around the handle of the furniture, and the like, and even the most care-, ful operation will not entirely prevent the mop" mop. This construction prevents the mop frame from being accidentally removed from the handie when the mopis shaken to remove dust.

A pair of cloth jackets, or cleansing members, are slid over the ends of the arms of the mop frame and are fastened together with tie strings. A plurality of rows, preferably three, of yarn threads are stitched to each cloth jacket. As the line of si'tchin'g-is along the middle of each yarn thread, there is, in effect, a double row of yarn threads along each line of stitching. In the preferred form, the three rows of stitching in eifect secure six rows of yarn threads on each jacket. The advantage of this, construction is that it facilitates shaking dust from the mop due to thero-ws of yarn being evenly spaced apart instead of being all stitched in one row. As the cloth jackets are readily removable they can be put in the wash and can be easily replaced when they become worn or badly soiled.

These and other features of the invention-will now be described in more detailinconnection with the following detailed description of the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side View showing one arm "of the mop -=frame partly in cross-section and showing its other arm covered with its cloth jacket and yarn;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the rubber covered mop frame with two alternative positions shown in dotted lines to indicate the manner in which the frame flexes about the end' of the handle as a fulcrum :due to the use ofthe resilient extension and Fig. 3 illustrates: the method of securing the yarn threads to the rubber jacket. I Fig. 1 is drawn partly in cross-section in order to show the construction of the improved mop which includes a supporting frame constructed .of a tempered spring wire I bent into approximatelythe shape of a U. The frame i isincased in a covering, or jacket, 2 composed of a resilient material, preferably rubber. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention," the resilient jacket 2 is formed about the frame :I by placing the U-shaped frame vI in a tubular moldinotshown) where it is supported on a plurality of supporting pins (not shown) and is thereby locked in the center of the mold with the rubber and then vulcanized. As can be :seen in Fig. 1, there is thus formed a resilient mold-ed one-piece rubber unitz having two arms for forming an open ended U with an integral. intermediate rubber member for connecting the ams p j .1l" I Due to the wire'frame I being locked in position by the supporting pins, the frame I is kept from floating while the rubber is vulcanized into a soft, durable jacket 2. This prevents the frame I from breaking out of its rubber jacket 2 and causes the wire frame I to adhere to the rubber jacket 2 except at the point where the rubber flexes. After vulcanization has been completed, the frame I and its jacket 2 are removed from the mold. Incidentally, holes 3-3 will be left in the rubber jacket 2 by the supporting pins but these holes 3-3 are not objectionable and have no deleterious efiect.

The mold is also designed to form part of the rubber into a hollow handle receiving member I molded integrally at the midpoint of the integral intermediate portion of the one-piece rubvber unit 2 and having an annular groove 5 therein. This hollow extension I is provided for receiving one end of a handle 6 constructed of any suitable material, such as wood. The end of this handle 6 is provided with an annular collar I cut out of the wood in such proportions as to adapt it to fit into, or engage with, the annular groove 5. The engagement of collar I with groove 5 prevents the frame I and its jacket 2 from accidentally falling 01f the handle 6 when the mop is shaken to remove dust.

Over the end of each of the two arms of the U-shaped frame I and its jacket 2 is drawn a cloth jacket 8. A plurality of yarn threads 9 are secured to each cloth jacket 8 in a manner to be described hereinafter. Near one end of each of the cloth jackets I5 are secured a plurality (preferably two) of tie strings IiII0. These tie strings IE]II are provided for enabling the cloth jackets 88 to be fastened together by tying one set of strings IB-I9 to the other set of strings Ifi-III. This serves to hold the cloth jackets 88 securely on the mop. The advantage of this construction is that the cleansing members B8 may be readily removed for cleaning when they become soiled and may also be removed when they become worn and replaced with new ones.

As can be seen in Fig. 1, there is a point of fiexure II between the end of handle 6 and the wire frame I where there is no rigid material incased in the rubber jacket 2. This enables the rubber jacket 2 to flex freely about the end of handle 6 which acts as a fulcrum. The manner in which the rubber jacket 2 may be flexed is illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein the normal position of the frame I and its jacket 2 is shown in solid lines and two flexed positions are represented in dot-dash lines. As is indicated in Fig. 2, the frame I and jacket 2 bend easily at the point of flexure I I and may be readily flipped back and forth. This resilient construction permits universal movement of the arms independently of each other in any direction whatsoever about the end of handle 6, the resiliency of this construction also serving to return the arms to their normal position.

The object of the universal movement obtained from this resilient and flexible construction is to enable the mop to lay flat and keep its frame I parallel with a floor surface regardless of the angle that the handle 6 makes with the floor surface. This makes it possible to dust under low-set articles of furniture without moving them as the mop can be readily slid under such furniture without scratching it. Due to this novel construction of the mop, it is possible to use both sides of the mop. The U-shape of the frame I allows the prongs of the mop to embrace steam pipes, bed posts, furniture legs, and the segments of Venetian blinds. As the tempered spring wire frame I is flexible and due to the resiliency of the rubber unit 2, the arms of the open ended U may be moved in any direction whatsoever and may be spread or compressed to fit into corners to meet the needs of a particular situation. In this connection, attention is called to the fact that a washable cotton flannel jacket can be fitted over the yarn 9 and jacket 8 to provide a soft full foundation for use in dusting walls, moldings, windows, and doors. If desired, a jacket made of lambs wool may be substituted for the yarn 9 and jacket 8 for use in dusting walls.

The preferred covering for the mop comprises a cloth jacket'B to which is secured a plurality of yarn threads 9. These yarn threads 9 are preferably secured to the jacket 8 by a line of stitching I2 as shown in Fig. 3. As the line of stitching I2 is along the middle of each yarn thread 9, there .is, in effect, a double row of yarn threads 9 along each line of stitching I2.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, three rows of stitching I2 are used to secure the yarn 9 so that there are, in effect, six rows of yarn threads 9 on each jacket 8. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to three rows of stitching I2 and that other methods of securing the yarn 9 to the jacket 8 may be used if desired. The advantage of the construction shown in Fig. 3 is that it facilitates removal of dust from the mop when the mop is shaken due to the rows of yarn being evenly spaced apart instead of being all stitched in one row thereby providing the yarn threads with space to rove. In shaking the mop, the mop is held with the flat side in a vertical position and the handle is then shaken up and down sharply thereby causing the arms of the mop to vibrate briskly. The brisk vibration of the arms of the mop forcibly jolts the particles of dust from the yarn 9.

It is to be understood that the specific construction and arrangement of the parts shown in the drawing have been shown and described in order to illustrate the principles and features of the invention and that certain details of the construction of the mop may be changed without departing from the scope of the invention which is to be limited only by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is: 1. A mop including in combination a handle, a cleansing member, a resilient molded one-piece rubber unit having two arms for forming an open ended U for directly supporting the cleansing member, said arms having a normal position in respect to said handle, resilient means for causing said arms to vibrate back and forth rapidly I portion and projecting rearwardly therefrom for receiving and securely retaining one end of the handle.

2. A mop including in combination a handle, a cleansing member, a resilient molded one-piece rubber unit having two arms for forming an open ended U for directly supporting thecleanssoever about theend of said handle and for returning the arms to their normal position, said resilient means including an integral intermediate rubber member for connecting said arms, and a hollow rubber'membermolded integrally at the mid-point of said integral intermediate member and projecting rearwardly therefrom for receiving and retaining one end of said handle.

3. A mop for use vvitha detachable cleansing member, said mop having afhandle and being characterized in this that it includes a supporting member having two integrally fcrmedjarms projecting therefrom for directly supporting a cleansing member, and a hollow handle receiving member formed integrally at the mid-point of the supporting member and projecting rearwardly therefrom for receiving one end of said handle, said supporting member and its integral arms and said integral handlereceiving member having all their external surfaces composed sole- I 

